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WebRTC primer: Using Web browsers for calls and video conferencing

In its simplest form, Web Real-Time Communications (WebRTC) allows you to use a Web browser as either a telephone to talk, text or chat; or as a video endpoint. The technology accomplishes this by adding a snippet of JavaScript code to Web browsers.

WebRTC is already fully enabled in the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox Web browsers, although these are prestandard implementations today.

Enterprise WebRTC opportunities: Direct customer engagement

One of the most promising aspects of WebRTC is customer engagement on websites.Companies running websites often look for ways to engage visitors through pop-up chat windows and other methods. With WebRTC, visitors can click a button to call or video chat with a call center agent immediately -- no more waiting.

Potential impact on the network

From a Web developer's perspective, being able to add call or chat features to the front end of the application means that someone sitting at their desk can call a co-worker with a browser-to-browser connection. The call no longer needs to route through the phone system, so calls could require fewer hops; they also lack the quality control or security policies normally associated with enterprise voice calls.

From a network perspective, this might sound scary. "This is one of the most interesting considerations for the enterprise: potential battles between those running networks and those running applications," said Irwin Lazar, vice president and service director forNemertes Research.

In its simplest form, Web Real-Time Communications (WebRTC) allows you to use a Web browser as either a telephone to talk, text or chat; or as a video endpoint. The technology accomplishes this by adding a snippet of JavaScript code to Web browsers.

\n

WebRTC is already fully enabled in the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox Web browsers, although these are prestandard implementations today.

Enterprise WebRTC opportunities: Direct customer engagement

\n

One of the most promising aspects of WebRTC is customer engagement on websites.Companies running websites often look for ways to engage visitors through pop-up chat windows and other methods. With WebRTC, visitors can click a button to call or video chat with a call center agent immediately -- no more waiting.

\n

Potential impact on the network

\n

From a Web developer's perspective, being able to add call or chat features to the front end of the application means that someone sitting at their desk can call a co-worker with a browser-to-browser connection. The call no longer needs to route through the phone system, so calls could require fewer hops; they also lack the quality control or security policies normally associated with enterprise voice calls.

\n

From a network perspective, this might sound scary. \"This is one of the most interesting considerations for the enterprise: potential battles between those running networks and those running applications,\" said Irwin Lazar, vice president and service director forNemertes Research.